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Road Cycling in Tenerife

20th April, 2021

Why Cycle in Tenerife

Tenerife is the perfect winter cycling holiday destination. It’s nicknamed the Island of Eternal Spring because the weather pattern is similar to European Spring, most of the year round. Even in the height of summer, temperatures don’t soar to those on the Spanish mainland. When the weather becomes cold and wet in England, you can enjoy road cycling in Tenerife across the winter months. Temperatures rarely fall below the low teens or early twenties even in January. It’s not as hot as a cycling holiday in Gran Canaria and certainly not as windy as a cycling holiday in Lanzarote.

Tenerife is also one of the most beautiful places to ride. If your only experience of a holiday in Tenerife is Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas, then your view has been skewed by cheap package holidays. As soon as you ride across the TF-1, the main road that hugs most of the Tenerife coastline, you will be riding on to incredible landscapes. You will cycle through banana plantations and across arid, moonscape like scenes, with almost perfect tarmac beneath your wheels.

You will cycle up to typically Canarian towns such as Vilaflor where you can enjoy coffee and beer looking over the Atlantic. And the views! The views are simply spectacular when you cycle in Tenerife. As you reach the slopes of the volcano, you are rewarded with incredible vistas across the Atlantic and to other islands on the archipelago. Riding up Mount Teide from the west, La Gomera comes into view after just a few kilometres. It will often have sections of low cloud hanging above it which gives it a tropical island feel.

Road Cycling in Tenerife, Road Cycling in Tenerife

Cycling up Mount Teide

Road cycling in Tenerife is famous for the slopes of Mount Teide. Pros use it to hone their climbing skills before the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta de Espana. The anonymity afforded by the climb, high above the busy strips of Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas, is certainly one reason why so many professional cyclists use Tenerife for their winter training camps. It is however the continual climb which is the real reason why professionals and amateur cyclists alike, flock to Tenerife for their cycling holiday or training base.

The Teide volcano offers an almost unbroken 50km climb, whichever route you take up. Unless you are a glutton for punishment, you are realistically only going to climb Mount Teide once or twice during a cycling holiday in Tenerife, so we have put together a synopsis of each of the 3 routes up Mount Teide from the south. Use these to research your routes up Mount Teide, for your next Tenerife cycling holiday.

These are our route notes on cycling Mount Teide from the west

These are our route notes on cycling Mount Teide from the south west

These are our route notes on cycling Mount Teide from the south east.

Road Cycling in Tenerife, Road Cycling in Tenerife

Other Cycling Routes in Tenerife

Road cycling in Tenerife isn't all about Mount Teide. It might be the famous climb but don’t think that’s all that’s available. The Masca Valley is one of the most beautiful and tough rides anywhere in Europe. Check that out in our blog on the best routes in Tenerife.

The roads are incredibly tight and they meander their way across the barren landscape of the valley. The wall at Masca might be one of the most spectacular rides anywhere in the world. The ravine plunges its way into the sea with walls either side of you. The ride descends further before eventually arriving at the Punta de Teno Lighthouse.

View of the road down into Masca Valley, Tenerife

Best Places to Stay in Tenerife

For any road cycling holiday in Tenerife, there are an abundance of hotels. We suggest staying in the south west corner of the island.

Budget

For those on more of a budget, head to Los Cristianos or Playa de las Americas. There are some really good value hotels here and we really like the Gara Suites. Gara is a 4* hotel and they’re really well priced. It’s got a great pool and spa for post ride and importantly, the hotel is cycling friendly.

Mid Range

We love the Jardin Tropical. The hotel which was completely renovated in 2019. The hotel has a Moroccan feel to it with white domed buildings and corridors open to the elements. It has a very large pool in the middle of the hotel but its secret is the pool it owns across the pathway leading down to the rocks. This pool has large 4 poster day beds, massages on demand and a great range of cocktails for after your ride. Don’t miss the ocean view outdoor gym or bar either! It also has its own bike room, securely accessed, with a variety of tools, track pumps and work station.

Luxury

The Ritz Carlton Abama is one of the most famous hotels on the island. With rooms ranging from luxury to uber extravagant garden bungalows, the hotel is the ultimate in decadence in Tenerife. Enjoy one of 5 famous restaurants including a beautiful oceanside outdoor restaurant next to the bungalows. Off the bike, relax in the adults only pool or play a bit of golf at their world famous courses.

Best time to ride in Tenerife

The climate in Tenerife is perfect for a cycling holiday. In the height of summer, temperatures don't often reach the 30s which is surprising given it lies off the coast of the Sahara desert. Its lows don't get lower than the low twenties so there really is no bad time to enjoy a cycling holiday in Tenerife. Our favourite time to cycle in Tenerife is anytime during the autumn months, especially October and November. As the UK is turning cold, wet and wintry, Tenerife is enjoying sunny weather in the mid twenties. If you ride nice and early, the weather is crisp in the morning whilst the temperatures get nice and warm in time for thrilling descents off Mount Teide.

Cycling in Tenerife is also a pleasure in the early part of the year. January and February are traditionally colder on the island than the last months of the year, but with temperatures still in the low twenties, they are perfect for cycling.

Click here to see weather averages across Tenerife.